International Friendly: Dlamini, Modise Lead Banyana Against Super Falcon

Long-time skipper Amanda Dlamini and veteran striker Portia Modise top the list of 18 players in the delegation of the Senior Women’s Team of South Africa to Nigeria for Saturday’s prestigeous international
friendly against the Super Falcons.

The Banyana Banyana, heading to this year’s Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in London next month, intend to use Saturday’s session to perfect strategies for a hopeful appearance at the Olympic Games.

The contingent will fly into Nigeria on Thursday aboard a Kenya Airways flight.

Dlamini has been captain of the Banyana Banyana, one of Africa’s leading women’s teams, for several years, while Modise is one of the most recognizable figures in African women football, with 71 goals in 91 international appearances for her country.

Nigeria has her own amazons aplenty, though four-time African Woman Footballer of the Year, Perpetua Nkwocha, defensive stalwarts Faith Ikidi and Helen Ukaonu and midfield ace Rita Chikwelu will be missing,
after the quartet left to join their European clubs following last weekend’s demolition of Zimbabwe, that earned the Cup holders a spot at this year’s African Women Championship in Equatorial Guinea.

But goalkeeper and skipper Precious Dede, with three FIFA World Cup appearances, as well as strong defender Joy Jegede and veteran midfielder Stella Mbachu are surrounded by a new generation of
talented and committed performers in defenders Gladys Akpa and Evelyn Nwabuoku, midfielders Martina Ohadugha and Ebere Orji and forwards Esther Sunday, Desire Oparanozie and Amenze Aighewi.

Saturday’s match at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos will kick off at4pm, with NFF President Aminu Maigari, Technical Committee chairman Chris Green, Women’s League chairman Dilichukwu Onyedinma and NFF General Secretary Musa Amadu expected to be among the dignitaries.